There is currently a stark contrast between the large amount of information and other services that are available over computer networks and the relatively small amount of information that is provided directly with most physical things. Physical objects such as products in stores, art in galleries, directional signs, buildings, etc., typically have only a limited amount of information directly associated with them. A few printed words on a product package, an adjacent wall, a placard, etc., typically provide a person with only a small fraction of the information that is readily available about the object on the public global computer network (i.e., the Internet).
Limitations in the amount of information provided directly on or with physical objects reflect the spatial and aesthetic constraints of fixed printed text. In addition, large amounts of such information are not desired by everyone and can be counter-productive, because some people might entirely avoid dense amounts of such detailed information.
This contrast between the amounts of such information gives rise to an informational dichotomy. Physical objects, which include the rich perceptual information about texture, sight, context, etc., typically have directly with them only a small fraction of the relevant information that is available over computer networks. One the other hand, the rich information, interactions, and other associations that are available over computer networks for a wide range of topics are usually accessible only apart from the physical objects that are the subject of the information.
The present invention provides links between physical objects and the rich information, interactions, and other services that are available over computer networks. A wireless programmable user interaction system allows a user to interact with networked services relating to physical objects that have associated machine-readable tags. The machine-readable tags may be of virtually any format, including bar codes and radio frequency identifiers (RFIDs), for example.
In one implementation, the system includes a portable interaction device in wireless communication with a local computer network. The portable interaction device includes a portable computing device such as a hand-held computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, etc., and an associated machine-readable tag reader (e.g., a bar code reader). With such a portable interaction device, a user may scan the tag of a physical object (e.g., a book in a shop, a product in a grocery store, art in a gallery, etc.) and generate tag identity information relating to the physical object.
An interaction system catalog in the portable computing device stores tag format information that correlates the tag identity information with an identity information category and related information. As a result, the interaction system catalog can indicate the types of information, interactions, or other computer network services that are available and relevant to the physical object. Upon selection of a desired network service by a user, a functional payload is delivered to the portable computing device over the wireless network connection to be executed or rendered (collectively, executed). The functional payload may be executed directly by the portable computing device or, as in one implementation, by a browser running on the portable computing device. The functional payload may originate from the local network with which the wireless communication takes place or from any payload server located anywhere on the public global computer network.
The full variety of network services can be provided in association with a physical object, including additional information sources, computer network search results, user-posting sites where a user can post comments or annotations or otherwise interact with other users, commercial sites where related products may be ordered, etc.
The wireless programmable user interaction system according to the present invention provides a platform for coupling physical objects with the rich variety of services available over computer networks. A portable computing device and a tag reader in wireless communication with a computer network can provide a user with access to network services relating to specific physical objects. Payloads delivered over the wireless network connection provide a versatile system that can accommodate large numbers and varied types of physical objects.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.